Category Archives: Preparation

So, you’ve had that call, and you have time, maybe a day, to prepare. What to do? Many teachers experience feelings of stress on supply, especially if it’s going to be their first day in a new school.

Here are some practical ideas to help your day run more smoothly, and to keep you busy while waiting to set off:

Do you know where the school is? If not, take time to go there. It really does save a lot of anxiety on the morning of the supply day.

Save the school’s telephone number on your mobile phone. You never know what’s going to happen that morning. Traffic, transport etc. and I’ve actually had to call the school once to ask them to let me in as no-one was answering the door!

Get your clothes and lunch ready the night before. And then set two alarms.

Get your bag ready. Include chocolate, a couple of bottles of water, half a dozen pencils and your trainers. Read Sarah’s article ‘What’s in your supply bag?‘ for more ideas.

Have in mind how you are going to introduce yourself to the children, giving them your name and your expectations for the day.

Be prepared to be faced with no planning. This should not happen if you have been pre-booked, but unfortunately sometimes it does. In which case, as long as you identify one literacy lesson, one numeracy lesson, one foundation lesson (don’t assume you’ll be let loose in the hall for gymnastics or in the ICT suite!) and one time-filler (circle time, personal research into their geography topic, etc.) which you can deliver with few resources, you’ll do okay! If there is planning, don’t enforce your own planning.

Take time to learn the names of the Head Teacher, Deputy Head, Class Teacher you are covering and the Secretary etc., perhaps from the school website.

Tips and hints on how to make the most of the time you have before you arrive at school.

If you have any other ideas you would like to add to this list, please contact us.